Illuminated whirling toy



Sept. 11, 1951 A. A. GUSSA 2,567,600

ILLUMINATED WHIRLING TOY Filed Aug. 13, 1948 2 Sheets-Shea; 1

INV EN TOR. In 4 ARV/N A. 6U$$A kwg/fim AGE/VT Sept. 11, 1951 A. A. GUSSA 2,567,600

ILLUMINATED WHIRLING TOY Filed Aug. 13, 1948 2 Sheet's-Shee; 2

FIG. 4

JNVEN TOR. ARV/N A. GUSSA AGE/VT Patented Sept. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,567,600 ILLUMINATED WHIRLING TOY Arvin A. Gussa, San Diego, Calif.

Application August 13, 1948, Serial No. 43,990

4 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a toy, more particularly to an illuminated blimp toy rotating stand in which operation of the illuminated blimps causes light .to automatically be ignited therein, and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a toy of this class having a rotating top on which illuminated blimps are mounted, which centrifugally actuates switch means causing electric lamps to be energized theiiin, which is very entertaining to children at mg Second, to provide a toy of this class having novel winding means for the motor thereof;

Third, to provide a toy of this class having a very simple and economical motor which is very easy to operate and very reliable;

Fourth, to provide a toy of this class having novel over-running clutch means;

Fifth, to provide a toy of this class employing very simple switch means, in connection with the blimp-supporting arm, which is actuated by centrifugal force acting on the suspended'pivotally mounted blimps at the end of said arm;

Sixth, to provide a toy of this class which may be continually wound while in operation; and

Seventh, to provide a toy of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, emcient in operation, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain'novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, as will be I hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference thereon, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top or plan view of my toy; Fig. ,2 is a side elevatlonal view thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken from the line 3-4 of Fig.2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan View taken from the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the pawl base and pawl of my toy; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 6-6 of Fig. 2, showing parts and portions in elevation to facilitate the illustration.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several. views of the drawings.

The base I, winding handle 2, roller 3, strap ,4, drum 5, gears 6 and 1, spring 8, shaft 9, pawl base I0, pawl II, blimp supporting arm I2, blimps I3 and I4, switch contacts I5 and I6, bate teries II, conductors I8 and I9, and the lamps 20, constitute the principal parts and portions of my toy.

The base I is a box-like or round structure having resilient feet Ia supporting the same, and rotatably mounted in this box-like or round base I is the roller 3, supported on the bracket 3a, all as shown best in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The winding handle 2 is preferably a rigid rod having a T-head 2a thereon, projecting outwardly of the base I, all as shown best in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. Connected to the inner end of this winding handle 2 is the flexible strap 4, which passes over the roller 3 and is wound around the drum 5, and connected thereto at its opposite end by the pin 512, shown best in Fig. 4 of the drawings. This drum 5 is rotatably mounted on the bracket 50 and is provided with an annular groove 5a at its peripheral surface, in which the spring 8 is engaged. This spring 8 is fixed to the drum 5 by means of the pin 5e at its one end, and is secured to the inner side of the base by the hook 5d at its opposite end. Fixed to the normally upper end of the drum 5 is the spurgear 6, meshing with the pinion I, fixed to the shaft 9, on which the pawl base I0 is secured. This pawl base It is provided with a downwardly extending shank I0a, positioned internally of the hollow shaft 9, as shown best in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Pivotally mounted on the upper side of the pawl base ID by means of the pin IIlc is the pawl II, which is a solid-rod-like member, engaged by the spring IIa tending to force the same against the stop Iflb of the pawl base It, which forms a solid abutment for the pawl II when pivoted in one direction. The blimp-supporting arm I2 is provided with a downwardly extending shank I2c at its middle portion, which is rotatably mounted within the hollow tubular shank Illa of the pawl base I0, all as shown best in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Pivoted on the outer ends of the blimp-Supporting arm I2 by means of the pins I3a and Ma are the illuminated blimps I3 and I4. These blimps I3 and I4 are provided with U-shaped brackets I30 and I through which the pins I3a and Ida extend. The blimps I3 and I4 are provided with contacts I32) and I l-b, respectively, which are arranged to engage the contacts I5 and I6 on the extended arm portions In and I21), respectively, of the supporting arm I2. Connected to the arm I2 are the conductors I8a and I8b, shown best in Fig. 6 of the drawings, which are electrically connected to the conductors I8, while the contacts I31) and Mb are connected to the conductors 20a, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, for completing the circuit through the battery I! and the lamp 20, which is illuminated during centrifugal operation of the blimps I3 and I4, which pivot about their mounting pins Hill and Ida, respectively. It will be here noted that the illuminated blimp IQ is provided with openings hid in the side wall thereof, and a ruby reflector Me at the frontal end thereof, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6 of the drawings. It will be here noted that the electrical equipment in connection with the ill-uminated blimp I3 is identical to that as described in connection with the illuminated blimp I4.

The operation of my toy is substantially as follows: When it is desired to cause rotation of the blimp-supporting arm I2 about the axis of its shaft I20, the winding handle} is pulled outwardly by its T-head 2a, causing the strap 4 to pass over the roller 3 and rotate the drum 5,

not positively force the blimp-supporting arm I2. When the winding handle 2 is released, the spring s forces the gear 6 to rotate, causing increased speed of the gear I rotating'the shaft 9, and the pawl II positively engages one side of the blimp-supporting arm I2 and is forced against its abutment Illb, on the pawl base It, which causes positive forceful engagement of the pawl II on the arm I2, so that rotation of the illuminated blimps l3 and 14 about the axis of the shank I20 is accomplished. During rotation of the supporting arm I2 about the axis of the shank I20 centrifugal force affects'the blimps i3 and I4, causing-the same to pivot on the axes of the pins I3a and I ia/whereby outward movement thereof causes the contacts I312 and fin to engage the contacts I6 and I6, respectively, on the ends of the arm I-2-,' which completes the electric circuit to the lamps 20, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, illuminating the interior of these blimps I 3 and I4 automatically.

This lighting effect creates a very specific attraction to children at night, and is an auto= matic function of centrifugal force which takes place upon rotation of the blimp-supporting arm I2. It will be noted that the drum may be continually wound by operating the winding handle 2, and that the pawl II, in reverse to its driving directional movement, only resiliently engages the arm I2 and lightly passes there-'- under, due to compression of the spring i la. This permits the arm I2, together with the blimps i3 and I4, to rotate in uninterrupted movement, while the drum 5 is again wound, extending the spring 8, for further forceful rotational movement of the arm I2 and the illuminated blimps I3 and I I, as hereinbefore described.

Though I have shown and described a par= ticular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not'wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrange ment substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a toy of the class described, a blimp-supporting arm rotatable about its middle portion transversely of its axis, illuminated blimps suspended from said arm and pivoted thereto, switch means in connection with said illuminated blimps and said arm actuated with the pivotal movement of said blimps'irelativeto said arm, a battery in each of said illuminated blimps, and alamp electrically associated with said battery and said switch means, arranged to be illuminated when said blimps rotate about the axis of said arm, and are acted upon by centrifugal force,

"said arm having a centrally disposed shank, a

bearing therefor, a resiliently mounted pawl engageable with said arm outwardly of its pivotal axis gear means in connection with said pawl for rotating the same. 7

2. In'a toy of the class described, a blimpsupporting arm rotatable about its middle portion transversely of its axis, illuminated blimps suspended from said arm and pivoted thereto,

' switch means in connection with said model blimps and said arm actuated with the pivotal movement of said blimps relative to said arm, a battery in each of said illuminated blimps and a lamp electrically associated with said battery and said switch means, arranged to be illuminated when said blimps rotate about the axis of said arm and are acted upon by centrifugal force, said arm having a centrally disposed shank, a bearing therefor, a resiliently mounted pawl engageable with said arm outwardly of its pivotal axis, gear means in connection with said pawl for rotating the same, a resilient motor in connection with said gear means.

3. In a toy of the class described, a blimpsupporting arm rotatable about its middle portion transversely of its axis, illuminated blimps suspended from said arm and pivoted thereto, switch means in connection with said illuminated blimps and said arm actuated with the pivotal movement of said blimps relative to said arm, a battery in each of said illuminated blimps, and a lamp electrically associated with said battery and said switch means, arranged to be illuminated when said blimps rotate about the axis of said arm and are acted upon by centrifugal force, said arm having a centrally disposed shank, a bearing therefor, a resiliently mounted pawl engageable with said arm outwardly of its pivotal axis, gear means in connection with said pawl for rotating the same, a resilient motor in connection with said gear means, said motor including a drum and a spring connected thereto, adapted to be wound therearound.

4. In a toy of the class described, a blimpsupporting arm rotatable about its middle portion transversely of its axis, illuminated blimps suspended from said arm and pivoted thereto, switch means in connection with said illuminated blimps and said arm actuated with the pivotal movement of said blimps relative to said arm, a battery in each of said illuminated blimps, and a lamp electrically associated with said battery and said switch means, arranged to be illuminated when said blimps rotate about the axis of said arm and are acted upon by centrifugal force, said arm having a centrally disposed shank, a bearing therefor, a resiliently mounted pawl engageable with said arm outwardly of its pivotal axis, gear means in connection with said pawl for rotating the 'same,. a. resilient .motor in REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 6 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Gartner Jan. 1, 1889 Lukstat Oct. 19, 1915 Jewell Oct. 9, 1917 Aronson Aug. 25, 1925 Hanson Nov. 10, 1925 Mayer Aug. 16, 1927 Berger Oct. 20, 1931 Arnold Dec. 1, 1936 

